Travel & Health Insurance

2018-2019 Travel Assistance Coverage

All F-1 students are required to have travel assistance coverage through GeoBlue. The cost for the program ($30.00 per semester for 2018-2019) will be automatically
added to your tuition bill. Coverage is in effect from August 1 to July 31 of each
year.

GeoBlue International travel assistance coverage is NOT a health insurance plan. It will NOT pay for hospitalization, doctor bills or medical tests. However, it
will provide the following travel assistance benefits for F-1 students and F-1 student
dependents:

Emergency medical evacuation where adequate treatment is not available near OCC.

Repatriation of mortal remains to home country.

Referrals for medical/dental care in the U.S.

Emergency travel arrangements

Once our staff have enrolled all students, you may set up your GeoBlueaccount and access an electronic copy of the ID card on Member Hub.

Related Links

Coverage

International students in the U.S. need health insurance coverage. You have to buy
it yourself. OCC does not buy it for you. Remember that health insurance is a cost
listed on your I-20 document, so you should have money for it.

WHAT IS HEALTH INSURANCE?

Private insurance companies are paid money (premiums) from very large groups of people
and individuals. If a member of this group has an accident or illness, the doctor
and the hospital bills are paid from the money collected.

WHY DO I NEED IT?

You are responsible for your health care bills.

Health care in the U.S. is extremely expensive. An ambulance ride can be $800. Standard
childbirth can be $9,000. If you don't have health insurance, some hospitals and doctors
will not treat you, or they will ask for full payment at the time of service. You
cannot buy most student health insurance after you are already sick or injured. The
U.S. government does not pay for any health care you need. Nor does OCC. **Remember
that you had to show you had money to pay for health insurance before you were given
an I-20.**

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a U.S. federal government law. However, many student
health plans do not have to comply with ACA.

CHOOSING A PLAN

Read all student health insurance brochures very carefully and understand the coverage
and exclusions. With most plans, the premium amount (cost) will vary according to
your age. Student health insurance will NOT cover all of your medical expenses.
If you are a woman, choose a plan with maternity/pregnancy coverage. Less expensive
plans do not include it. If you have a pre-existing condition (have already been
diagnosed with a condition that needs treatment), choose a plan that is ACA compliant.

KEEPING COSTS DOWN

Do not go to the hospital emergency room if you have a condition that can be treated
at a clinic. Make sure that you go to providers authorized by your insurer. Get
a flu vaccine each fall. Plan to have routine care or dental care when you visit
your home country.

SUGGESTED PLANS You may choose whatever plan best suits your needs. OCC is not endorsing these plans,
but only suggesting them. They are not perfect, but you must buy health insurance!

Choose Budget, Select or Elite coverage, not Smart. Smart has minimal benefits and does not cover pregnancy. These plans do have pre-existing
condition rules, and some caps on specific types of charges. They pay 80% to a certain
amount, but then 100%. Elite has the best coverage but is more expensive. Cost for a 18 to 24 year old student for Select is $1068 and $2244/year for a 25 to 30 year old student.

Compass Benchmark and Benchmark Plus have some ACA features like no pre-existing condition rule, some coverage for preventative
health care, and no maximum limit the plans will pay. The deductible is annual rather
than per sickness/illness. There are some co-pays including $25/doctor visit and $50
for urgent care; you must also pay 20% of your medical bills overall for Benchmark and 10% for Benchmark Plus. Cost for Benchmark for students 19-23 years is $1577 per year, 25-30 is $2307 per year.

Do not buy Compass Care. The coverage is very low and does not cover pregnancy.

Contact Information

Student services for all F-1 students are offered at:

Royal Oak Campus - Building B, Room 102Phone 248.246.2563

Our student services staff can assist you with admission and other general inquiries.
Please send your questions to F-1.Advisor@oaklandcc.edu.

Since it may be difficult for you to drive to the Royal Oak Campus, we will try to
meet your needs as much as possible through email and telephone. Please email your
questions first and if an answer cannot be provided by email or telephone, we'll make
an appointment.

Aside from assisting you with F-1 immigration regulation issues, we are able to direct
you to resources both inside the college and in the community to make your stay in
the U.S. more enjoyable and to meet your educational goals. We look forward to working
with you!